Self-Forming Cylindrical Wood Components for Sustainable Lightweight Structures

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SELF-FORMING CYLINDRICAL WOOD COMPONENTS FOR SUSTAINABLE LIGHTWEIGHT STRUCTURES

This project investigates  how a novel self-shaping manufacturing process can be effectively used for the sustainable production of cylindrical components, especially in regards to their structural potentials as light weight high performance building components. The self-shaping wood process has been intensively researched and proven for industrially scale curved CLT production of radii larger than 2.3m. This novel manufacturing process for curved wood components replaces mechanical, energy- and cost-intensive forming processes and instead uses the change in shape of the material due to shrinkage during drying. The self-shaping behavior can be reliably simulated and also allows significantly smaller bending radii with the same lamella thickness than conventional processes. In addition it reduces elastic spring back and can we designed for optimal fiber orientation in load bearing components.

The current project is investigating the structural applications and possibilities, static performance and ecological balance of self-shaped cylindrical wooden components in a range of 0.1 to 3.0 m radi. Due to their geometric stiffness, these components are particularly efficient and efficient and material-saving (e.g. barrel vaults, ribbed ceilings, tubular structures, columns, masts, etc.). The possibility to execute such components in wood allows both the substitution of otherwise common building materials, all of which are characterized by significantly higher embodied energy and C0² emissions, as well as to open up new constructional possibilities for the sustainable building material wood.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Prof. Achim Menges
Institute for Computational Design and Construction, University of Stuttgart
Dr.-Ing. Dylan Wood
Institute for Computational Design and Construction, University of Stuttgart

RESEARCHER

Laura Kiesewetter (ICD)

PARTNERS
Institut für Forstnutzung und Forsttechnik, Technische Universität Dresden
Blumer Lehmann AG, Gossau, CH

FUNDING
BBSR - Bundesinstitut für Bau- Stadt- und Raumforschung im Bundesamt für Bauwesen Raumordnung - Innovationsprogramm Zukunft Bau